Side wall tester



Dec. 16, 1952 Filed July 12, 1947 M. o. JOHNSTON SIDE WALL TESTER 2SHEETS-SHEET 1 lNVENTbR; ww/aa 0. J0/1/Y50/7 ATTORN EY Dec 16, 1952 M.o. JOHNSTON 2,621,743

SIDE WALL TESTER Filed July 12; 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 5a\ if l'j 54 w 4352 w G ATTORNEY,

Patented Dec. 16, 1952 "SIDE WALL TESTER Mordica 0. Johnston, Glendale,Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Johnston Testers,Inc.,.Houston, Tex., a corporation. of Delaware Application July 12,1947, Serial No.'760,594

1 Claim.

This invention relates to oil well testing tools, and particularlypertains to a side wall tester.

In testing oil wells in the open hole it has been the usual practice todrill a small bore at the bottom of the open hole and set a ratholepacker on the shoulder thus formed so that a sample of the connate fluidfrom the formation maybe entrapped within a testing tool, and whenelevated to the surface may be examined to ascertain the fluid yield ofthe formation. 'It has been found desirable to make tests above thebottom of the well bore and without employing a rathole packer bysegregating a selected section of the well bore to obtain a sample ofconnate fluid flowing into the segregated area from the side walls ofthe well bore. In accomplishing this purpose difficulties have beenencountered due to the fact that it is always necessary to maintaintesting tool equipment so that in an emergency fluid circulation maybecreated through the testing tool and into the well bore beneath thepacker structure. It is the principal object of the present invention,therefore, to provide a well formation tester of the sidewall type whichmay be set in a well bore at a desired level and which will permit fluidcirculation through the tester structure under emergency conditions, andwill also allow a sample of the fluid yield from the formation to bedrawn into the tester structureand entrapped.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a formation testerstructure provided with valve means whereby the tester may be opened andclosed bymanipulation of a supporting string of pipe, said testercarrying a dual packer unit which may be set at a desired level in awell and 'a'sample of the connate fluid from the formation between thedual packers may be withdrawn.

The invention is illustrated by Way of example in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view in vertical section and elevation indicating a lengthof well bore and showing the complete tester structure by which sidewall fluid samples may be obtained.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in central longitudinal section through theupper portion of the dual packer unit of the tester.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in central longitudinal section showing alower portion of the dual packer unit of the tester.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view in central longitudinal section of the testerbelow the portion shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view in transverse section through the intermediate elementof the dual packer unit as seen on the'line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, lil indicates an open wellbore within which a test is'to be made. Extending downwardly in the wellbore from the derrick at the surface level is a drill string H carryin aformation tester structure l2. The tester structure here shown is knowncommercially as the Johnston formation tester. Reference may be had tomy prior Patent No. 2,073,107 for an illustration and description ofoneform of such device. This tester embodies the use of a poppet valvestructure l3 which will be opened when the weight of the drill string IIis imposed upon it, and will close when the drill string weightis'lifted. The tester also includes the use of a trip valve l4 which maybe tripped by the dropping of a go-devil through the drill string when atest is made. Mounted on the lower end of the testing unit 12 is anequalizer valve structure l3 which permits fluid in the well to bypass apacker as the structure is run into the well bore. All of the equipmentmentioned thus far in this description is standard equipment and is usedin accordance with standard practice. Mounted below the equalizer valveis a dual packer unit 15 especially designed for side wall testing andwith which unit the present invention is particularly concerned. Thisunit comprises a sub l6 formed with a threaded box portion at its upperend to receive a pin I8 carried at the lower end of the tester. A pin I9is'formed at the lower end of the sub and is threaded into a sleeve 20.The sleeve 20 carries an upper packer element 2! which is formed with anupper threaded pin 22 which extends into a threaded end 23 of thesleeve. An expansible sleeve packer 24 is disposed at the'lower end ofthe upper packer element 2! and is secured into position by an annularclamp structure 25 which is channelshaped. One leg of the channelextends into a groove 26 formed around the circumference of the upperpacker element and the other leg of the channel extends into a groove 21formed around the other end of the upper sleeve packer 24. The lower endof the upper sleeve packer is formed with an annular groove 28. Thisreceives the upper leg of an annular clampin ring 29 which is of channelsection, the other leg of the channel section of the ring 29 fittinginto a groove 36 formed in an induction fitting 3! which is cylindricaland agrees in outside diameter with the clamping member 29. At'the lowerend of the induction fitting 3| is an annular groove 32 which receivesone leg of a, channel-shaped clamping ring 33. The other leg of the ringseats within an annular-groove 34 Man expansible lower sleeve packer 35.The'lower'end of the sleeve packer 35 is formed with an annular groove36 to receive one channel leg of a clamping ring 3?. The other leg ofthis ring fits within an annular groove 38 formed around the body of alower packer element 39. This packer element terminates in a threadedpin 49 which is received by a coupling 4!. The lower end of the couplingis formed with a threaded box portion 42 which receives the upperthreaded end of a perforated anchor pipe 43. The lower end of the anchorpipe is fitted with a cap 44 which will rest directly upon the bottom ofthe well bore and which will support the weight of the drill string whenthe sleeve packers are to be set. The coupling 4| is formed with arelatively large central bore 45 above the box 42 and communicates withthe anchor pipe through a restricted opening 46. The lower packerelement 39 is formed with a central bore 41 Which is of reduced diameteras compared with the bore 45 and receives a lower mandrel section 48.The lower end of the mandrel section 48 is threaded at 49 and receives anut 59 which limits the upward movement of the mandrel since the nutwill encounter the end face i of the lower packer element 39. The upperend of the lower mandrel section 48 is threaded at 52 and is received bya threaded bore 53 formed centrally of the lower end of the inductionfitting 3!. The threaded bore 53 communicates with a series of ducts 54which extend upwardly through the induction fitting 3i and communicatewith an upper threaded bore 55 in the fitting. The threaded bore 53, theducts 54 and the bore 55 provide a passageway for circulating fluidwhich may .pass upwardly through the central bore 55 of the lowermandrel section 48. Formed in a transverse plane substantially midwaythe length of the induction fitting 3| is a plurality of radiallydisposed induction ports 56 which extend outwardly through the sides ofthe induction fitting 3| to receive a sample of connate fluid which isto be entrapped in the formation tester. The inner ends of the inductionducts 56' communicate with a central bore 51 extending upwardly throughthe body of the induction fitting 3!. The upper end of this boreterminates with the lower end of the bore 55 and is internally threadedas indicated at 58. This threaded bore receives a sample tube 59 whichextends upwardly through the central bore 65 of an upper mandrel sectionB I. The lower end of the mandrel section 6| is threaded into thethreaded bore 55. The upper end of the mandrel section Bi passes througha bore '52 in-the upper packer element 2|, and at a point above thepacker element 2| is threaded to receive a nut 63. The nut 63 rests upona shoulder 54 presented by the upper end of the packer element 2|. Thus,when the nuts 59 and 63 are properly tightened the entire structureincluding the mandrel sections 48 and 5|, the upper packer element 2|,the induction fitting 5! and the lower packer element 39 will be held inassembled relation to each other and against separation when assembledwith the packer sleeves. Attention is directed to the fact that thelength of the bore 45 in the couplin 4! is sufficient to permit downwardmovement of the lower mandrel 48 when the sleeve packers are compressed.

The sample tube 59 extends upwardly through a central opening 95 formedthrough the upper sub 16. A packing gland 65 is mounted within this subto form a telescoping packing joint for the tube 59 so that the testfluid will not be contaminated with well fluid as it flows upwardly tothe tester. The circulating fluid from the well may flow upwardly intothe bore 55 and then within the passageway 61 occurring between thewalls of the bore 68 and the tube 59 in the upper mandrel section 5 lThis fluid may return to the well bore through ports 58 formed throughthe wall of the sleeve 20,

It is desirable to set the sleeve packers 24 and 35 in sequence and toset the lower sleeve packer 35 before setting the upper sleeve packer.This is done by providing a shear pin 69 which extends through the lowerpacker element and into an openin '59 of the lower mandrel section andto provide a shear pin H which extends through the upper packer elementand into an opening '52 of the upper mandrel section 5|. The lower shearpin 59 requires a lesser shearing force than the upper shear pin .l.Thus as the weight of thedrill string is imposed upon the entirestructure supported upon the anchor pipe 43 the lower pin 69 will shearfirst to allow the lower sleeve packer 35 to expand and set in the wellbore, after which additional weight will cause the upper shear pin TI toshear off so that the upper sleeve packer 24 may expand and set. Whenthis has been accomplished the induction fitting 3! will occupy atesting area which occurs between the two expanded sleeve packers 24 and35. It will be evident that when these sleeve packers are set that afree circulation of fluid can take place from below the lowermost sleevepacker to the area above the upper sleeve packer 24. This will maintainan unimpaired hydrostatic head within the well bore so that a cave-in isnot likely to occur, particularly in the area occupied by the anchorpipe 43. At this time the testing zone occuring between the two sleevepackers will be in communication with the test tube 59 through theradial ducts 55. This makes it possible for the connate fluid from theformation to rise in the test tube 59 to fill the same and to then flowupwardly through the equalizer valve l3 and the main tester valve 13 tothe level of the closed trip valve [4. When the operator is sure thatthe sleeve 1 packers are properly set he may then drop a godevil downthrough the drill string to strike the trip valve l4 and release it sothat it will open. A sample of the connate fluid will then flow upwardlythrough the tester unit 12 and to a level in the drill string I! aswould be created by the native pressure in the formation. The operatormay then lift the drill string. This will cause the main valve l3 toclose, after which a lifting action on the sub l6 will be imparted tothe packer unit. It will be recognized that due to the interlockingcharacter of the clamping rings 25, 29, 33 and 37 a longitudinal strainwill be imparted to the sleeve packers 24 and 35. This will cause thesleeve packers to contract circumferentially and to be stretchedlongitudinally so that they will be drawn away from the the walls of thewell bore to allow the complete testing structure to be withdrawn fromthe well with its entrapped sample.

In the event the packer unit should become lodged in the well bore it ispossible to create circulation within the well bore and down around thedrill stem to the ports 68 in the sleeve 20 so that drilling fluid couldbe forced downwardly through the lower mandrel 48 and outwardly throughthe perforated anchor 43. Thus fluid pressure would be created beneaththe lower sleeve packer 35 if required.

It will thus be seen that the side wall tester structure here disclosedprovides a simple means whereby connate fluid samples may be taken atany level in an open well bore, and. that the packer unit embodied insuch structure can be easily set and released, and that circulation atall times can be maintained within the well bore from the bottom of thewell and beneath the lowermost sleeve packer.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention as now known tome, it will be understood that various changes may be made incombination, construction and arrangement of parts by those skilled inthe art, without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

A Well testing device adapted to be connected to a formation testingunit for conducting connate fluid from a portion of a well formation tothe tester in uncontaminated condition while providing for continuedcirculation of other fluid in the well, comprising a sub attachable tothe lower end of a formation tester, a tubular member disposed beneaththe sub, a laterally ported sleeve having a bore larger than that of thetubular member and being disposed between and secured at its oppositeends to the sub and tubular member, a fitting beneath the tubularmember, a sleeve-type expansible packer disposed between and secured atits opposite ends to the tubular member and fitting, a tubular mandrelslidably received within the tubular member and packer and having anenlarged upper end engaging the upper end of the tubular member to limitdownward movement of the mandrel relative thereto and being secured atits lower end to the fitting, whereby downward movement of the tubularmember relative to the mandrel will cause eXpansion of the packer andupward movement of the tubular member relative to the mandrel willcollapse and contract the packer, a sample tube disposed within thetubular mandrel, secured at its lower end to the fitting and slidablyreceived at its upper end by the sub so as to slide relative theretowhen the packer is set and to convey fluid upwardly to the formationtester, said fitting having a passage therein communicating at one endwith the interior of the tube and at its other end with the exterior ofthe fitting, a lower tubular member disposed beneath the fitting, alower sleeve-type expansible packer disposed between and secured at itsopposite ends to the lower tubular member and said fitting, a sleevesecured to the lower end of the lower tubular member and having a borelarger than the bore of the lower tubular member, a lower tubularmandrel secured at its upper end to the fitting and slidably received bythe lower packer and lower tubular member and having an enlarged lowerportion engageable with the lower end of the lower tubular member,whereby a lowering movement of the lower tubular mandrel relative to thelower tubular member will cause an expansion of the lower packer, saidfitting having passages therethrough communicating at their oppositeends with the interiors of tubular mandrels, and a laterally portedwell-bottom engaging member secured to the lower end of the lowersleeve, whereby, when the well testing device has been lowered to apoint where the well-bottom engaging member engages the bottom of thewell, a succeeding lowering movement of the drill string supporting thetester will cause relative sliding movement between the mandrels andtheir associated tubular members to cause expansion of the packers, andafter a test is made an upward lifting movement on said sub Willpositively contract said packers to enable a ready release of thetesting device from the well bore.

MORDICA O. JOHNSTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,956,694 Parrish May 1, 19341,970,362 Dix et al Aug. 14, 1934 2,073,107 Johnston Mar. 9, 19372,162,261 Layne June 13, 1939 2,190,250 Blackburn Feb. 13, 19402,214,121 Costello Sept. 10, 1940 2,387,003 Barnes Oct. 16, 19452,390,372 Johnston et al Dec. 4, 1945

